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Bible. yet it was writ by a Man, a mercenary Man, Scripture whose Copy, either might be false, or he might

make it false. For Example, here were a thousand Bibles printed in England with the Text thus, [Thou shalt commit Adultery] the Word [not] left out: might not this Text be mended?

12. The Scripture may have more Senses besides the Literal, because God understands all things at once; but a Man's Writing has but one true Sense, which is that which the Author meant when he writ it.

13. When you meet with several Readings of the Text, take heed you admit nothing against the Tenets of your Church; but do as if you were going over a Bridge; be sure you hold fast by the Rail, and then you may dance here and there as you please; be sure you keep to what is settled, and then you may flourish upon your various Lections.

14. The Apocrypha is bound with the Bibles of all Churches that have been hitherto. Why should we leave it out? The Church of Rome has her Apocrypha (viz.) Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon, which she does not esteem equally with the rest of those Books that we call Apocrypha.

VI

Bishops before the Parliament

A BISHOP, as a Bishop, had never any

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction; for as soon as

he was Electus Confirmatus, that is, after the

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three Proclamations in Bow-Church, he might Bishops exercise Jurisdiction before he was consecrated; before the yet till then he was no Bishop, neither could he give Orders. Besides, Suffragans were Bishops, and they never claimed any Jurisdiction.

2. Anciently the Noblemen lay within the City for Safety and Security. The Bishops' Houses were by the Water side, because they were held sacred Persons which nobody would hurt.

3. There was some Sense for Commendams at first: when there was a Living void, and never a Clerk to serve it, the Bishops were to keep it till they found a fit Man; but now 'tis a Trick for the Bishop to keep it for himself.

4. For a Bishop to preach, 'tis to do other Folks' Office. As if the Steward of the House should execute the Porter's or the Cook's Place; 'tis his Business to see that they and all other about the House perform their Duties.

5. That which is thought to have done the Bishops hurt, is their going about to bring Men to a blind Obedience, imposing things upon them [though perhaps small and well enough], without preparing them, and insinuating into their Reasons and Fancies. Every man loves to know his Commander. I wear those Gloves; but perhaps if an Alderman should command me, I should think much to do it: What has he to do with me? Or if he has, peradventure I do not know it. This jumping upon things at first Dash will destroy all. To keep up Friendship, there must be little Addresses and Applications; whereas

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Parlia

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Bishops Bluntness spoils it quickly: To keep up the before the Hierarchy, there must be little Applications made to Men, they must be brought on by little and little. So in the Primitive Times the Power was gained, and so it must be continued. Scaliger said of Erasmus; Si minor esse voluerit, major fuisset. So we may say of the Bishops, Si minores esse voluerint, majores fuissent.

6. The Bishops were too hasty, else with a discreet slowness they might have had what they aimed at. The old Story of the Fellow, that told the Gentleman, he might get to such a Place if he did not ride too fast, would have fitted their

turn.

7. For a Bishop to cite an old Canon to strengthen his new Articles, is as if a lawyer should plead an old Statute that has been repealed God knows how long.

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VII

Bishops in the Parliament

If you

ISHOPS have the same Right to sit in Parliament as the best of Earls and Barons that is, those that were made by Writ. ask one of them [Arundel, Oxford, Northumberland] why they sit in the House, they can only say, their Father sat there before them, and their Grandfather before him, &c. And so says the Bishop; he that was a Bishop of this Place before me, sat in the House, and he that was a Bishop before him, &c. Indeed your later

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Earls and Barons have it expressed in their Bishops Patents, that they shall be called to the Parlia- in the ment. Objection, but the Lords sit there by Blood, the Bishops not. Answer, 'Tis true, they sit not there both the same way, yet that takes not away the Bishop's Right. If I am a Parson of a Parish, I have as much Right to my Glebe and Tithe, as you have to your Land, which your Ancestors have had in that Parish Eight Hundred Years.

2. The Bishops were not Barons, because they had Baronies annexed to their Bishoprics; for few of them had so, unless the old ones, Canterbury, Winchester, Durham, etc.; the new erected we are sure had none, as Gloucester, Peterborough, etc. Besides few of the Temporal Lords had any Baronies. But they are Barons, because they are called by Writ to the Parliament, and Bishops were in the Parliament ever since there was any mention, or sign of a Parliament in England.

3. Bishops may be judged by the Peers, though in time of Popery it never happened, because they pretended they were not obnoxious to a Secular Court; but their way was to cry, Ego sum Frater Domini Papa, I am Brother to my Lord the Pope, and therefore take not myself to be judged by you: in this Case they impanelled a Middlesex Jury, and dispatched the business.

4. Whether may Bishops be present in Cases of Blood? Answ. That they had a Right to give Votes appears by this; always when they did.

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in the

Bishops go out, they left a Proxy; and in the time of the Abbots, one Man had 10, 20 or 30 Voices. Parlia In Richard the Second's time, there was a Pro

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testation against the Canons, by which they were
forbidden to be present in case of Blood. The
Statute of 25th of Henry the Eighth may go a
great way in this Business.
The Clergy were
forbidden to use or cite any Canon, &c.; but
in the latter end of the Statute, there was a
Clause, that such Canons as were in usage
in this Kingdom, should be in force till the
thirty-two Commissioners appointed should make
others, provided they were not contrary to the
King's Supremacy. Now the Question will be,
whether these Canons for Blood were in use in
this Kingdom or no? The contrary whereof
may appear by many precedents in Richard III.
and Henry VII. and the beginning of Henry
VIII. in which time there were more attainted
than since, or scarce before. The Canons of
Irregularity for Blood were never receiv'd in
England, but upon pleasure. If a Lay Lord
was attainted, the Bishops assented to his Con-
demning, and were always present at the passing
of the Bill of Attainder: But if a Spiritual Lord,
they went out, as if they car'd not whose head was
cut off, so none of their own. In those Days
the Bishops, being of great Houses, were often
entangled with the Lords in Matters of Trea-
son. But when d'ye hear of a Bishop-traitor

w?

now

5. You would not have Bishops meddle with Temporal Affairs. Think who you are that

say

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